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ALL
AMERICAN DREAM THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OF THE ANNUAL STALLION SERVICE AUCTION
The idea Became a Reality COVERAGE BY SCOTTY MITCHELL_MOORE WITH KRISTEN STONECIPHER WELLS The idea came into fruition in 2002, after Jim Aikman joined forces with John Hale and Dawn Kendrick to create a program that would not only pay well, but would be affordable to Saddlebred owners that the association was losing. There was a perceived notion that “only the wealthy” could have a Saddlebred, and Aikman wanted to change that. The first AAC Auction took place in January 2003, at Claudia Sander’s Dinner House with a capacity crowd of close to 400. There were 128 stallions up for auction. At the end of the night, $164,660.00 was raised plus, 62 donors took advantage of the second available slot by December 1, 2003, adding another $52,275 to the 2004 AAC Class winnings.
The first AAC Auction took place in January 2003 AT THE END OF THE NIGHT, $164,660 WAS RAISED
Claudia Saunders Dinner House in Shelbyville, Kentucky was where the first AAC Stallion Service Auction was held in 2003
Everyone could participate and have a chance to win a return It was the brain child of James (Jim) W. Aikman who wanted to bring life and affordability back to the Saddlebred industry for the small breeder. Creating a limited breeders program, (only 2 foals from any one
(1) stallion, Buyer Slot and Donor Slot) would be eligible, that no matter what your economic or social status was, all were placed on an even playing field regardless if you had 1 broodmare or 30. Everyone could participate and have a chance to win a return on their investment.
Coverage by Scotty Mitchell-Moore
ALL AMERICAN DREAM PAST,
PRESENT, AND
The Proceeds Raised FUNDS ARE KEPT IN FULLY INSURED FDIC ACCOUNTS 10% of all funds for the auction year, both buyer and donor, are retained for administrative expenses, $2,500.00 per auction is retained for the breeders incentive portion of the AAC program, all remaining funds are for rewards and split 50/50 between the AAC weanling class from that auction year and the AAC three year old class from that auction year. Funds are kept in fully insured FDIC accounts. The All American Cup, Inc. is not affiliated with any individual; has its own Federal Tax Number, files an annual tax return.
Growth Over The Years FUNDS ARE KEPT IN FULLY INSURED FDIC ACCOUNTS The All American Cup has become a household name throughout the Saddlebred industry, due to Jim’s passion for the breed and work ethic in developing the program. The AAC has learned through the years what works and what doesn’t. In the beginning, the AAC had bus tours the morning before the auction, which in turn brought people to the auction. After the bus tours were terminated due to the time involved in arranging and the slowdown in participation for the tours, the AAC went back to an Auction Dinner for a year until Dr. Scott and Linda Bennett offered to host the auction at Alliance Stud, LLC. With a stallion showcase and party-like atmosphere, there was renewed interest and excitement. After Dr. Bennett became ill, the AAC went back to just an auction dinner in 2017 thru 2020. During those year’s, Jim’s health also declined, and the AAC saw a slowdown in participation mostly due to the limited time from others to devote to the program. Jim was a workaholic and spent 24/7 on the program. In 2021, owners/breeders Jeff and Kristen Wells got involved, volunteering their time to bring back the stallion showcase and auction, and to revamp the marketing and branding of the program.
Sir Hob Nob, the 2021 All American Cup Three-Year-Old Grand Champion Sired by Sir William Robert (WC, RWC) • Owned by Kathy Capsuto-Walker
FUTURE
Interview with John Hale
Coverage by Scotty Mitchell-Moore
ALL AMERICAN DREAM PAST,
PRESENT, AND
Interview with John Hale
FUTURE
Undulata’s Nutcracker (CH Caramac (WCC, WC) x Christmas In New York ERB (BHF))
You probably didn’t know
RWCC Lady Elegant, the 2017 Weanling Champion Bred by E.A.C. Equine
THE AAC HAS HELPED BRING A RENEWED INTEREST TO THE BREED The AAC program was created for all that love the American Saddlebred. The AAC attracts people from around the nation from the amateur to the professional. All are treated equal and have the same opportunity to win some good money. Jim Aikman assembled an incredible model when he developed his vision for the All American Cup. Both stud owners and breeders have access to the largest financial rewards in the industry, unmatched marketing and exposure, and most importantly, per Jim’s vision, participants that are injecting ‘blood and life’ back into the American Saddlebred breeding industry, the industry that Jim dedicated so much of his life to supporting.
the highest sold breeding was... Highest sold breeding occurred in 2005 with a winning bid of over $22,000.00 for Undulata’s Nutcracker. That was Undulata’s Nutcracker’s f irst year entered into the AAC by owner Edward Bennett. How many services get auctioned? The highest number of stallion services that the AAC has auctioned off was in 2009 for a 2010 foal. 180 stallion services were auction off raising a total of $282,400.00. The AAC Auction of 2006 for a 2007 foal, raised the most prize money in the amount of $358,350.00 with 168 stallions being offered.
After retirement from the corporate world, Jim devoted all his energy into creating the All American Cup. The foundation has been laid for us to continue the legacy that has been entrusted
The Secret To Success to us. It does take an army to put on the auction, and the AAC is grateful to the numerous dedicated volunteers, which many have been a part of the AAC since 2003. Plan the work, work the plan.
Coverage by Scotty Mitchell-Moore
ALL AMERICAN DREAM PAST,
PRESENT, AND
Interview with John Hale
FUTURE
2022 ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING THINGS THIS YEAR, IS HAVING THE STALLION SHOWCASE & AUCTION AT UNDULATA FARM Mike and Amy Stinnett made this year special by sharing Undulata Farm with us
One of the most exciting things this year, is having the Stallion Showcase & Auction at Undulata Farm. It was always Jim’s dream to have the auction at Undulata, and he would be over the moon that it is taking place there this year. As many know, Undulata’s Nutcracker is our highest generating
stallion at the auction year after year, and it feels very “full circle” to have the privilege of hosting the event there this year, thanks to new owners, Mike and Amy Stinnett.
PHOTO OF THE HISTORIC UNDULATA FARM
Coverage by Scotty Mitchell-Moore
MEET THE HOST T H E S T I N N E T T FA M I LY
The 2022 All American Cup Stallion Service Auction
Meet the hosts of Undulata Farm
Interview with Amy Stinnett
Coverage by Scotty Mitchell-Moore
MEET THE HOST THE
S T I N N E T T FA M I LY
Meet Amy Stinnett
We’ve been very blessed to have some wonderful horses including Single Sam, Blonde Stranger, Sophisticat, CH Powerful Tango, CH Birthday Kiss, WC CH MBA’s Revival of the Blues (Mary), CH Agent Cool Blue, Nuttin’ Could Be Finer, WC Kalarama’s Studious Girl (Elle), WC Central Perk and Far Away Saloon Cat. My list of “forever horses” continues to grow. Birthday Kiss and Tango are great buddies and pasture mates at WoodLea Farms and still teach limited lessons to some of Julia’s top show riders.
Steve and Julia soon opened Cameo Stables in Winston-Salem, and my lifelong love af fair with Saddlebreds was sealed.
I’d loved horses and ponies from the time I could walk and talk and had several ponies when I was little, but I continued to beg for “English riding lessons.” My mother found a barn nearby, so when I was 9, I started lessons with Ruby Philbrick in Wallburg, NC, at a barn owned by the Taro family. Luckily for me, this was a Saddlebred barn! We knew nothing about horses. My dad had previously bought a flashy Palomino from a classified ad, and we soon learned what “green broke” meant! I fell head over heels for these magnificent horses in no time. Gaining any riding skills would take a bit longer! Ms. Philbrick had taught many successful riders over the years but was getting older, and it seems she was short on patience, and I was short on natural ability. She would say to cluck to the horse and go up and down. I was just a bit slow to figure out that my rhythm needed to match the horse’s trot, and I posted about twice as fast as the horse was trotting. My mother said I was so bad that she thought I’d want to quit every lesson, but that was never an option. I loved riding and was determined to learn to do it well! Soon after starting lessons, I met my first true love, an unregistered but beautiful, spunky little bright chestnut gelding named Goodtime Charlie. For at least a year, I begged by day and prayed by night for him to be mine, and finally, I was able to convince my parents to purchase him for $500, half the original asking price! My dad was a shrewd businessman and thought the whole idea of owning a show horse made little sense, primarily since he’d just built a 4-stall barn for me, and now this horse wouldn’t even be living there. Steve and Julia Joyce were trainers at the Taro’s barn, and once I began lessons under their expert and patient tutelage, I started truly learning to ride and wasn’t so bad after all! I showed Charlie on the Carolinas circuit and did pretty well, gaining experience that would serve me well in the future. Steve and Julia soon opened Cameo Stables in Winston-Salem, and my lifelong love affair with Saddlebreds was sealed. Fortunately, my mom wholeheartedly supported my horse obsession and was the best horse show mom ever, making wonderful picnics for the shows, doing buns and so much more. Charlie eventually retired to that little barn behind our house, and Mom cared for him herself when I went away to college, even taking a course at the local ag extension center to be sure she was prepared to give him everything he needed.
Interview with Amy Stinnett
THE REST IS HISTORY
A Family That Rides Together... It’s a family thing... Mike and I had married in 1987 during my 10-year hiatus from the horse industry. We moved from Myrtle Beach back to Kernersville in 1988, and one day I suggested we attend the Roanoke Valley Horse Show, and it sure made me realize how much I’d missed being involved. I had a little nest egg saved to purchase a horse but no job, as I was between school and gainful employment. Mike commented like, “Just get a job, and you can get a horse!” Well, I got a job in about a week and soon after a lovely 3-yr-old prospect from Lee Shipman. She was a pretty chestnut mare with a flax mane and tail whose name we changed to the Blonde Stranger. We even bought a grand 5-gaited pleasure practice horse from Lee, who would teach Mike the basics of Saddleseat riding... Bustopher Jones. I’ll never forget Lee showing
him to us; as he literally threw the reins down on Buster’s neck and racked him down the hallway! Mike still says I tricked him by not divulging my latent horse obsession before marriage! I showed until I had Emilea in 1996 and took another 10-year break. “Em” started lessons around age 5, and when Clayton came along, he loved pony rides around our WoodLea Farms in Kernersville, NC (named after my mother, Etta Lea, who made all my horse dreams come true) but didn’t start lessons until he was 10. By the time Em was about 11, I had decided to get back into show horses. Initially, I only planned to get her a horse, but when the first one we bought for her didn’t work out, I ended up showing him and realized just how much I’d missed being in the show ring. All 3 of us have been showing for the past 14 years or so.
Why Undulata I COULDN’T FATHOM SUCH A BEAUTIFUL AND ICONIC PIECE OF SADDLEBRED AND KENTUCKY HISTORY POSSIBLY BEING LOST.
Of course, everyone in the Saddlebred industry knew of the beautiful and storied Undulata Farm and that it was to be auctioned. In recent years, we had put horses in training in Kentucky and started spending more time here, buying the old Thoroughbred Theater in Midway and adding an apartment upstairs so we’d have a home away from home. We had only toyed with the idea of purchasing a farm, as we’d built a 12-stall barn and indoor arena on our WoodLea Farm in NC about five years ago.
Coverage by Scotty Mitchell-Moore
MEET THE HOST THE
Interview with Amy Stinnett
S T I N N E T T FA M I LY
My dad ran tobacco auction houses, and I’ve always loved an auction, but this was a whole different level! I’m not even sure exactly how I told Mike, but it was something like, “I think we just bought Undulata.” Clayton’s phone started blowing up about that time, and he, somewhat in disbelief, said, “Mom, did we buy Undulata?” For the next couple of days, I didn’t know whether to be thrilled or throw up! We talked with Hoppy and made plans to visit the next day. Once we saw the gorgeous farm, we knew that we had our work cut out for us but had an incredible opportunity to be stewards of this remarkable piece of history— saddlebred history in particular.
(L-R) Emilea, Amy, Clayton, and Mike Stinnett
Even though real estate development is our main family business, land preservation is also a passion. We feel honored to have the opportunity to preserve Undulata as a farm where Saddlebreds are still playing a starring role.
The Future is Restored Our plans are very fluid, but we intend for Saddlebreds to remain a vibrant part of the farm. We’re thrilled that this is happening as Undulata is home for Katie Case’s Showcase Stables! Next, we’d like to develop ideas for it to produce additional income, perhaps as a venue on a minimal basis. Of course, we’re pleased to be able to offer it for fundraising events such as the AAC auction. In addition, our initial goals from a stewardship perspective revolve around the renovation/restoration of the structures on the farm to hopefully ensure its existence for another hundred+ years plus landscape/ pasture improvements!
Then, on June 6, 2020, my family was in Charleston, SC, looking at a potential investment property. I wasn’t impressed and had walked out to the sidewalk. My friend Jennifer Joiner called to see if I was watching the Undulata auction online; I said I’d forgotten but was going to tune in. As we both watched online, the bidding seemed to stall, and she said the word from her son, Nat (who had worked for Hoppy so knew the farm well), was that developers were the high bidder at that point. My heart sank as I couldn’t fathom such a beautiful and iconic piece of Saddlebred and Kentucky
history possibly being lost. I had only visited Undulata once when looking at a horse years prior but knew what an incredible farm it was and that it needed to remain so! I told Jennifer I didn’t think I could bid since I hadn’t registered. But in just a moment, she had Hoppy’s number for me. I called and asked Hoppy if I could still bid to which he replied for me to hang on a second. He went out to the front porch where the auctioneer was and told him he thought he had a phone bid. He put me on the phone with the auctioneer; I placed my bid, and minutes later, I was told I had the winning bid!
We are very blessed that Mike is an experienced contractor and loves history, aiding us in making incredible progress toward our goals in less than 18 months. Renovations thus far include thousands of feet of new fencing, extensive carpentry, roofing, plaster repairs, new wiring, LED lights, updates to the stalls, addition of a state-of-the-art security system, repointing of the mortar on the beautiful entry gates, the ice house and main house and much more. For Mike, this restoration is truly a labor of love. I think he may intend to retire at the farm, which may be a good idea since a property like this always needs something. We are excited to carry on the rich Saddlebred tradition at Undulata Farm, which started with original owner Col. Harry Weissinger and continued with Jane Meyer and Hoppy Bennett.